National Facts

Americans have averaged close to three trillion miles a year, according to the US Department of Transportation -- enough to get to the sun and back more than 16,000 times.Perks, Rob and Craig Raborn. Driving Commuter Choice in America: Expanding Transportation Choices Can Reduce Congestion, Save Money and Cut Pollution, 2013.

In 2012, the US transportation system moved a daily average of about 54 million tons of freight valued at nearly $48 billion...The value of freight moved is expected to increase faster than the weight, rising from $882 per ton in 2007 to $1,377 per ton in 2040 when controlling for inflation.Freight Facts and Figures 2013, US Department of Transportation, 2013.

Communities that invest in public transit reduce the nation's carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons annually: equivalent to New York City; Washington, DC; Atlanta; Denver; and Los Angeles combined stopped using electricity. American Public Transit Association, 2014.

Only 2 out of the 20 largest cities in the US are without a major capital investment in transit such as rail or premium bus service: Tampa and Detroit.St. Petersburg Times, “Engine Behind Commuter Rail Changes in Tampa, Florida”, October 2006.

Increased investment in transit will stimulate the economy, create jobs and provide greater access to employment, education, and medical and social services.American Public Transit Association, 2007.